PhD thesis
As a graduate student in art history, you make an original contribution to scholarship by completing a thesis on a topic related to historical, modern, or contemporary art.
PhD students should approach a prospective thesis supervisor prior to applying to the program. If a faculty member agrees to supervise a project, they can give some advice in preparing a 5-8 page research proposal for the application.
Once admitted to the program, students are guided by their supervisors as they write a longer thesis proposal, which serves as the basis of their comprehensive examinations. Once students are admitted to candidacy, they work closely with their supervisors who guide them through the research, writing and submission processes.
Timeline at-a-glance
Convocation date | |||
---|---|---|---|
Spring (no winter fees) | Spring (winter fees) | Fall | |
Apply to graduate (deadline) |
January 15 | January 15 | July 15 |
Submission to Examination Committee |
October 20 (department deadline) | February 11 | July 14 |
Defence (6 weeks after the submission to the committee) |
December 1 | March 25 | August 25 |
Final Submission to Spectrum |
December 31 | April 1 | September 1 |
PhD thesis and defence guidelines
Please see the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) for comprehensive information (deadlines, formatting, examination committee, defence, submission, and graduation), making note of the following information.
See also
Applying to graduate
The application to graduate is separate from the thesis submission process. There are two graduation application deadlines each year:
- January 15 – June convocation application deadline
- July 15 – November convocation application deadline
Ready? Apply to graduate!
Visit the Interuniversity PhD website for the most complete and up-to-date information about the PhD program